Composite structures comprising steel decking and concrete are well known in the building trade and have wide application within the trade. However, the performance of the composite structure depends on the efficiency of the connection between the concrete and the steel deck.
The conventional approaches to composite floor decking the contribution of the metal decking to the strength of the final structure relies on the bond which is formed between the concrete and the galvanised surface of the decking and its flanges. Under excess load this bond deteriorates progressively along the length of the decking, with a marked loss of strength and ultimately failure of the decking.